cruisegirlkat

Happy Thursday everyone,

I just want to send out my thanks for this thread and the help from all of the contributors that helped me with my transfer arrangements.  I read ALL of the pages and we ended up using Meadway Car Service for our ride from Heathrow to our VRBO down the street from Battersea Power Station and again from the VRBO to Southampton 5 days later.  There were 5 of us with lots of luggage and a large walker so they suggested that we order an 8 seat MVP.  I did everything via email, and we didn’t pay anything until the ride was completed.

We are back from our cruise, and I highly recommend using Meadway Car Service.  Our driver was Virgil and he met us at WHSmith in terminal 3.  He was fantastic and very nice.  He drove us directly to our VRBO, he also loaded and unloaded our luggage.  Virgil then picked us up on Saturday and took us to the ship in Southampton.  The LHR to our VRBO ride was $103.54 plus tip and VRBO to Ship was $323.73 plus tip.  Once we broke it down for 5 people, we felt the per person amount was reasonable as we didn’t have to make any transfers.  I would definitely use them again.  Thank you again for all the help. Kat

On 4/8/2023 at 1:33 AM, gumshoe958 said:

 

Any London taxi (they’re known as black cabs) will seat 5 passengers and has wide doors and room for a walker plus luggage. They’re very spacious.

Or - Uber (choose an Uber XL which seats 6).

 

Or - you could try booking a Select+ car with https://www.addisonlee.com

 

With good traffic it’s a 15 minute journey so I would aim to leave between 7 and 7.15am to allow for rush hour (although you should beat the worst of it).

 

Gumshoe958,  Thank you very much for your help.  Sorry for the delay in replying.  My stupid bank was sold to another one and I’ve spent several days trying to get all of the utility vendors that I have ACH / auto payments with changed over to the new bank.  It’s been very trying, I got them all changed but I’ll have to track down my social security payments for April and May as I couldn’t get them changed over in time.  Apparently, the bank was thinking more about their schedule and not the social security department’s schedule, SMH. 

I sent a request to Addison Lee and awaiting an answer.  Thank you again for your help.  Kat

Hello fellow cruisers,  I’ve been trying to read through this whole thread as I was looking for a car service to get us from LHR to the Nine Elms area by the Battlesea Power Station on May 15^th and then from there to Southampton on the 20^th.  Based on all of the comments I read I felt comfortable booking both rides with Meadway.  I handled everything via email and didn’t have to pay in advance.  I am very impressed with their responsiveness and the quotes I received to take 5 senior ladies with luggage and a large rollator/walker.  They booked an 8-seater MPV for the rides.

I need advice on one last segment for our time in London.  We have a tour scheduled and already paid for on Wednesday May 17th with Evans Evans tour group to Stonehenge and Bath.  We have to get from Thessaly House (Nine Elms area) to the Victoria Coach Station to get the bus for our tour.  We are supposed to meet at the Welcome desk by gates 1 and 2 at 7:45am (not sure what time to be picked up due to traffic, but I told the ladies it would be really early).  

Due to the walker/rollator and the tube station locations I don't think the tube will work.  Does anyone have any ideas on how or who I should contact to arrange for a ride for the 5 of us to get to and from Victoria Coach Station?  I checked with Meadway, but they don’t service that type of trip.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.  Kathy

On 9/10/2021 at 6:04 PM, Doug R. said:

I slowly strolled from my bus stop to my office on a beautiful Tuesday morning, taking advantage of all the time I had before I was confined to my cubicle for the rest of the day. I sat at my computer grinding out grant agreement after grant agreement as it was busy season. I would take occasional breaks to gaze out my window for a view that stretched all the way out to sea. Suddenly a loud bang echoed through the canyons of Lower Manhattan. "Is that thunder?" asked the person in an adjacent cubicle. Before I could reply, the secretary screamed that something had hit one of the World Trade Center Towers. We all ran around the corner to witness the sight from our vantage point 27 floors up and 3 blocks away. We watched in horror as people jumped to their deaths from the doomed tower because it was the easier way to die. Particularly heart wrenching was the man and woman who jumped holding hands. Then the second plane hit. I discussed with my co-workers when we got back to the office 10 days later that we all saw the second plane coming but it didn't sink in until it hit. The walk up to midtown was long, only pausing to watch the towers crumble. Finally got a ferry boat to New Jersey where friends got me to my car at a park and ride. I wondered as I pulled out about the fate of my fellow commuters whose cars were still there. I finally got home to a tearful reunion with my new bride.

 

Twenty years have passed, memories fade but mine never will. God bless the first responders who ran toward danger and their families as well as the families of the victims and God Bless America.

TiogaCruiser,  You’re right; it isn’t easy getting Anne Frank tickets.  I was in Amsterdam last June for a few days prior to a Viking river cruise.  I purchased two tickets on-line on May 10^th, 2018 for a tour on June 27^th, so I wasn’t two months out but times were very limited.  I finally secured two tickets, but the only time slot I could get was 7:00pm.  I was very lucky that I was able to get any tickets. 

I’m glad we were able to visit her house.  It is important that we educate ourselves on the past.  I was very humbled how easy my life has been compared to how she and her family and many, many others suffered.  Kathy

OMG, I go away on vacation and come back to a really messed up Cruise Critic site.  I HATE the new lay out.  I can't find anything, especially the threads I used to follow, WTH.  Please Cruise Critic put the site back to the way it was.

Thank you so much Cruiseskier for your wonderful review. Also thank you Cyber Kat for posting the link to Cruiseskier’s review in the 2018 Rhine roll call.

I just spent two days reading every single post on your review; thank goodness I’m retired, LOL. My friend and I decided the other day that we wanted to go on the Rhine Getaway. We have a friend who works for Viking and she told us about this cruise, so of course I had to check it out in Cruise Critic first. Thankfully I was guided to your review.

I’ve been on 43 ocean cruises, so it is about time to check out a river cruise. By the time I got to the 450th post I felt really excited about this cruise. We were able to book it yesterday morning. We got very lucky as options were very limited as the cruise is in 5 months. We will be in a Veranda Balcony room on the Viking Vidar sailing June 28th 2018 from Amsterdam to Basel. We had to go with this date so we could do the 2 days pre-cruise in Amsterdam and the post 2 days in Basel. The only drawback with the late booking is that we had to use the more expensive hotel Pulitzer in Amsterdam as the Movenpick was already booked.

I was really nervous about the ship as it is very small and not very many people. After reading your review I feel like I know what to expect both on board and on the shore. Now I’m heading over to the 2018 Rhine board and hopefully get acquainted with them. Thanks again, Kathy

Hi Bob,

I hope you and Holli have a great time on your cruise. I loved traveling through the Panama Canal and hope to do it a 3rd time someday. I have also always wondered about the Pacific Princess and I look forward to your observations and pictures of the ship. Hopefully we will get to see pictures of your suite. Have fun. Kathy

Dear OP, I am sorry so many posters are being so rude. You are right about being allowed to express your opinion about the experience you had on your cruise. I have to agree with you about traveling on Carnival. I just sailed on the Sunshine from June 30th to July 4th and I also realized that I won’t ever go on another Carnival cruise again. I have been on 38 Princess cruises and have never been as disappointed as I was with Carnival. As you said the breakfast was very good in the MDR, but only mediocre the rest of the time. The buffet was the worst, very few choices and closed very early everyday. On Princess, whether it was one side or both sides there were many types of food choices and always seem to be open. Don’t even get me started on the Italian place in the back of the buffet, which was the worst Italian food I’ve ever had.

Our room stewardess was the best and very friendly, everyone else was just so-so. As far as the entertainment, it was a joke. I felt like the singers were there because they couldn’t get a job on a Princess ship. Thankfully the comedian was very good. I will definitely stick with Princess going forward. Please don’t feel too bad about what the others say, I understand they are defending their favorite cruise line. Good luck in the future.

Thank you to everyone for the information and the links. I stumbled into this thread accidentally and boy am I glad. This has been the most fun so far this whole weekend. Their whole story is a bunch of crock but it was fun reading. I'm certainly glad I don't need a life coach. She is an embarrassment to all of them. Kathy

When a particular shore excursion says that their trip is from 8a until 11:45, does that mean they plan on having you back to the ship at 11:45 or they will then begin to shuttle you back from wherever you are when you finish at that time?

 

On one day in particular, Skagway, one tour ends at 11:45 and the next begins at 2p. If it means we'll be at the ship at 11:45' we'll be able to board for lunch then be off again I assume....otherwise probably not....

 

Thanks!

 

 

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I've sailed with Princess many times and to Alaska 7 times. Typically, if the tour states the timing is 8 - 11:45 that means you should be delivered to the assigned drop off spot at 11:45, give or take 10 minutes or so depending on traffic. When you look at each tour you can click on the details box and it will give many details about the different segments of the tour. Most of the time they will even tell you how many steps you will take from one spot to another. I hope this is helpful. If you need any more help let me know. We are sailing on the Star Princess on June 25th roundtrip out of San Francisco. Kathy

My Mexican Fire Opals would also be my favorite souvenir. I was able to buy the loose stones in Matzalan and when I got home I had my jeweler set them for me. I was able to have a ring, necklace and tennis bracelet made from the stones. The orange color is just phenomenal. I enjoy picking up unusual pieces when I find them. My sister likes to call it her retirement fund. ;) Kathy